| dc.description.abstract | The aging population is increasing worldwide and the greatest increase has been noted in low- and middle-income countries, most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, the population of older adults is growing in urban areas as a result of rural to urban migration. The aim of this study was to assess the readiness of health facilities for the provision of geriatric-friendly services in selected health facilities in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. The study used a mixed method involving a cross sectional study of 36 health facilities in the three divisions of Kampala district, including public, private-not-for-profit and private-for-profit providers. Quantitative data was collected using a health facility geriatric assessment tool and analyzed using STATA version 17. Qualitative data was collected from key informants (heads of health facilities or their delegates) using a pretested interview guide and analyzed using NVivo. The study's findings reveal an overall readiness index (RI) of 44.09 (SD±14.18) across all health facilities. When examining readiness at the health facility level, national referral facilities displayed the highest RI at 55.34, followed by Health Center IVs (HCIVs) with an RI of 52.00, hospitals at 48.74, and Health Center IIIs (HCIIIs) at 35.93. In terms of health facility ownership, private for-profit health facilities exhibited the highest RI of 47.63, government-owned health facilities demonstrated an RI of 41.93, and private not-for-profit health facilities showed an RI of 39.21. In consideration of the geographical location, health facilities in Kampala Central presented the highest mean RI of 51.09, followed by those in Makindye with an RI of 40.12, and then those in Kawempe with an RI of 39.84. Furthermore, the study identified significant disparities in readiness among different components of the WHO health system building blocks, with Geriatric care service delivery and Medical Commodities and Equipment for geriatric care scoring the highest at 70.42 and 70.34, respectively. In contrast, Leadership and governance and Financing for geriatric care services scored the lowest at 19.29 and 13.49, respectively. These findings collectively suggest that Uganda's urban public healthcare systems face substantial challenges in delivering geriatric-friendly care services. The study recommends a greater emphasis on training geriatricians to lead and advocate for improved geriatric care in Uganda, considering that only 11 percent of the facilities had trained staff. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on geriatric care preparedness and calls for additional research in various urban areas and cities across Uganda to better understand the nation's geriatric healthcare landscape and address regional disparities effectively. There should be an intensified focus on training initiatives to bridge this gap and enhance the readiness of healthcare facilities to provide geriatric-friendly services. | en_US |
